I have been hovering around at 252 for a couple of weeks now. I have gone up a couple pounds and back down but never below 252. Does anyone have something the do or eat to get their body off a plateau? I feel like I really need a kick start to get down into the 240's. Are there foods that speed up metabolism? I wondered about making a nice low cal vegetable soup and having that for dinner for a day or two. Any other suggestions?

Lyn
TWENTY SIX pounds gone!
My Blog:
www.escapefromobesity.blogspot.com

Keep in mind that 2 weeks is really not all that long. You may be surprised to see a nice drop within the next week. Hang in there. You are 26 lbs down already. You're doing great.

Usually the best ways to start losing again, if you've stopped that it, is to either lower your calories or up your exercise or a combination of the 2. Just how many calories are you consuming in a day? How consistient are you? How much exercise are you doing? What types of foods are you eating? That can also be a factor. For me protein and fiber "works" best. Get back to us with the answers, so that we can help you.

Hang in there. We're gonna get you through this!!! You are 26 lbs down already. You're doing great.

Thanks Robin! You're such an inspiration and I appreciate your help and everyone else on this great forum.

I don't count calories anymore. I used to, but with 5 kids it just got to be too much for me and I would give up from the stress. Since August 3 I have been doing this plan:
I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks (the snacks only if I am hungry)
I eat only until I am satisfied.
I drink lots of water and 2c green tea each day. No sodas or sugary stuff and I avoid artificial sweeteners for the most part.
I avoid candy, cookies, chips, any kind of junky types of food.
I try and include veggies in my meals and fruits each day. Whole grains for the most part, lean meats, fish 1-2x a week (usually salmon).
When I have added up my calories (every once in awhile I do this) I end up around 1500.

I think my main downfall the last couple weeks has been coffee. I have real *thing* for coffee, but it is more like a dessert to me. I like it sweet and creamy. I do use skim milk and fat free creamer but the sugar content is what gets me... 25-35 calories per T of creamer and I use 3 or 4T in a small cup of coffee. I have been having one or two cups a day. But I like a carb with it... habit. Like a biscotti, a lowfat muffin, a piece of cinnamon toast. I try and keep the "carb" to 100-150 calories but all this adds up. I had given up coffee completely over the summer because I can really drink a ton of sweet iced coffee, so I switched out to iced green tea. I am trying to have only 1c coffee per day and the rest tea. Maybe I should cut it out altogether, but it is a comfort thing for me and feels so good to have a nice cup of coffee in the morning. Do you think the coffee could be a key here? I am generally eating pretty well otherwise.

Lyn
TWENTY SIX pounds gone!
My Blog:
www.escapefromobesity.blogspot.com

Oh, and about the exercise...

I have wrecked my knees completely with my obesity. I have a torn meniscus, degenerative arthritis that is pretty bad (they are talking knee replacements and I am only 38), and I have bone spurs in both knees. I cannot walk more than a couple blocks (which is good... before I lost 26 pounds I could not even walk out the door to get the mail). But the ortho told me I should ride a recumbent bike on no resistance to strengthen the muscles around the knees. I just got the bike last month and worked up from 5 minutes up to 12 minutes a day. I did slack off last week because my meniscus was *hurting* but I rode yesterday no problem. So I will try and make sure I ride it every day.

Lyn
TWENTY SIX pounds gone!
My Blog:
www.escapefromobesity.blogspot.com

Lyn, we all have to find what works for us. And if what at one time stops working for us, then it's usually time to change it. FOR ME, the ONLY thing that worked consistiently is actually counting my calories. It's the ONLY thing that helps to keep my portions in check. If I'm not actually tallying them up, then there's no way to know for sure just how many I'm getting and therefore I could be eating more then will get me that all important deficit. As far as it being too much work for me, well I hate doing the laundry, washing the floors and paying the bills - but it must get done. IMO, counting calories is the only brutally honest way to be held accountable and whatever time I spend on it is more then well worth it. But of course that if for you to decide.

As far as having that carb with your coffee, that's could be a factor. I find carbs eaten by themselves are a "diet" disaster. For me, when I do have a carb, it's always with a protein.

When you say it's been a couple of weeks that you haven't lost weight, is it really only 2 weeks, cause again, that's not all that long. If its much more then that, and if you want to keep on losing weight, you're going to have to make some decisions here. Whether it be about the coffee/creamer and carb habit or stricter monitoring of your caloric intake (you'd be shocked at how those sneaky little calories can add up) or adding in more veggies and whole grains. You've got to be brutally honest and face facts that something just may have to change.

As far as the exercise goes, how about swimming or an elliptical? Both low impact on the knees. There are also specific exercises that can help strengthen the surrounding muscles in the knees. Have you thought of going to a physical therapist? They may be able to help you further.

With a little tweaking, a little experimentation and some patience you most cetainly can get back to losing once again - and shortly. Good luck.

Thank you for your insights Robin! I may have to go back to counting calories, even if just for awhile, to see where I am messing up. I think first I will try cutting out the carb with coffee habit... and give it another week. I did look back and I have lost 5 pounds in October. I have been at 252 since Oct 22 so maybe it is not as long as it seems.

I did try swimming as my first choice when I started trying to exercise. I went to the local gym (the only indoor pool) for a free trial week. I went to the Low Impact Water Aerobics (and it was really low key, lots of old ladies!) and I really loved it. I took it easy and we were in the deep end, but I kid you not, I could not walk for 2-3 weeks after that except to hobble to the bathroom or bedroom. That's when the ortho suggested the bike, and so far, no pain that I can tell resulting from the bike! I am so glad. DH bougt me such a nice bike and it is fun to ride. I am increasing it gradually.

My ortho wrote a prescrip for physical therapy, and get this: my insurance will not cover PT unless I have a knee replacement FIRST!!! How stupid is that?? They only cover PT as recovery from the surgery. They are nuts. Anyway, I went and bought a book, I think it is called, "Heal Your Own Knees" written by a physical therapist. It has exercises in it for the knees, so I have been doing those. I really think that and the weight loss is the reason I can now walk 2 blocks to the park and back, and I can also shop in a big store and not suffer ill effects as long as I don't overdo. I only wish someone had told me 10 years ago what this weight was doing to my joints. I had NO problems, no hint of knee pain, and now this. Well I am hoping when I get the weight off I can have surgery and be better!

Lyn
TWENTY SIX pounds gone!
My Blog:
www.escapefromobesity.blogspot.com

Lyn, my knees were awful too. Just awful. All those years of being morbidly obese was just too much for them. I have seen great improvement since I lost the weight. I easily walk over 4 miles a day and most days more then that with no problems whatsoever. In fact, I can't sit still for very long. So, I promise you there is hope - and lots of it.

That is pretty unfortunate about your insurance not covering you for PT. But you know you CAN fight it. And you should. Ask to speak to a supervisor. Be persistent, get doctors to back you up. You never know, it may do the trick. That bike is a great thing though. I'm so glad that you've got it. You might also want to consider some upper body strength training. A resistance band is great for that.

Good luck to you cutting out the coffee and carb habit. And with your knees. Let us know how things are going.

I think Robin's said it all much better than I could have, but I just want to let you know that you absolutely can fight the insurance to get your PT. I am 19, and was told the same thing earlier this year when my doctor wrote me in for PT. I was NOT about to have knee replacement at 19, and the insurance company was being completely stubborn about it.

One very strongly worded letter, 13 phone calls, numerous faxes from doctors, and repeated threats of taking my insurance coverage elsewhere, they finally agreed to cover my PT. So it most certainly can be done.

No matter what you decide to do, I wish you all the best. I know you can do this.

Hey everyone, thank you so much for all the suggestions and encouragement. I wanted to give a little update. I woke up this morning TWO POUNDS lighter, sort of out of the blue! I am thrilled! I didn't do anything differently except cut the carb I was eating with coffee. I guess sometimes we just have to be patient

GO LYN!

Isn't it amazing how a little change can make such a big difference??

And today I am down another pound... 249!! Wow

You go, girly!

I just need a kick LOL

I'm the same. Mine bounces from 234 - 238 (I was 238 this morning after downing a bunch of chocolate and a bowl of salty popcorn the night before... bad bad bad bad...)

I'm not going to change what I'm doing for now - I've been pretty ill lately and if I push myself - I might make myself worse.

But how about adding even just an extra 10 minutes of activity each day (e.g. walk that extra few minutes etc).

I walk 10 blocks to and from work from a certain point (where my busses switch). I've been adding an extra 20 minute walk after dinner with the family to help make up for it (not over the past few days though, I just feel too icky).